Volunteer
What is Hospice?
"Hospice exists neither to hasten nor postpone death. Rather, hospice exists to affirm life by providing support and care of those in the last phases of incurable disease so that they can live as fully and comfortably as possible." - Author Unknown
Trinity Health Of New England At Home emphasizes dignity, respect, and compassionate support for patients and their loved ones as they navigate through this challenging time.
- Hospice is a type of care that focuses on providing comfort and support to people who are terminally ill.
- Hospice aims to improve quality of life by providing symptom and pain management while also addressing emotional, social, psychological, and spiritual needs of the patient and family.
- Care is delivered by our dedicated team of health care professionals and hospice volunteers in various settings, including the patient's home, nursing home, or hospitals.
- Hospice ensures that patients can spend their remaining time in a comfortable and familiar environment.
Why volunteer for hospice?
"I truly enjoyed my experience volunteering with Trinity Health Of New England At Home. I made a connection with her and felt very grateful when my patient one day told me she ‘looked forward to my visits every week.’ This was a truly rewarding experience that heightened my passion for medicine and patient care as I learned how small things can make a difference.”– Aastha G.
Hospice volunteering is a deeply meaningful way to make a significant impact on the lives of those affected by terminal illness. By volunteering your time and compassion, you provide valuable support and companionship as well as creating meaningful connections. Your presence helps alleviate feelings of isolation and fear that often accompany the end-of-life journey.
Volunteering teaches essential skills such as active listening, empathy, and effective communication. Your presence and kindness can make a lasting difference to those facing life's most challenging moments. Hospice Volunteers bring a sense of normalcy back to the patients’ lives as you do day to day activities with them. The care you provide helps foster personal growth and is very rewarding, as you witness the strength and dignity of patients and their loved ones.
What Does a Hospice Volunteer Do?
“Sometimes we played jigsaw puzzles, sometimes we shared stories and laughs and other times we sat in silent understanding as I held their hand. My patients taught me the power of being present and a deeper appreciation for life. A lesson for which I am forever grateful.” – Elizabeth M.
Responsibilities of a hospice volunteer can include:
- Providing Companionship: Spend quality time with patients, offering a comforting presence and listening ear to help reduce feelings of loneliness and isolation.
- Offering Emotional Support: Be a source of empathy and understanding for both patients and their families, helping them navigate emotional and spiritual challenges.
- Assisting with Daily Activities: Help with non-medical tasks such as light housekeeping, meal preparation, and running errands, easing the burden on patients and their caregivers.
- Engaging in Activities: Participate in activities that bring joy and comfort to patients, such as reading, playing music, or engaging in hobbies they enjoy.
- Providing Respite for Caregivers: Offer temporary relief to primary caregivers, allowing them time to rest and recharge while knowing their loved one is in caring hands.
- Supporting Bereavement Services: Assist in bereavement support for families, helping them cope with their loss and providing a compassionate presence during their grieving process.
*See FAQs for more details regarding specialized volunteer opportunities.
Frequently Asked Questions
Hospice is not a place, but a type of service provided to patients wherever they are located. So, the location of hospice is the patient’s residence which could be a home, assisted living facility, nursing home, hospital, etc.
As a volunteer, you will be assigned a patient in your town, or a neighboring town. Please contact us for a comprehensive list of cities and townships our patients are located in.
Here is a list of the different types of volunteering opportunities available at our hospice:
• Direct patient care volunteers provide companionship visits to patients in their homes and nursing homes or hospitals where they socialize with the patients and provide respite for the family. These interactions may include talking to the patient, recording a video or creating a scrapbook as a parting gift for their loved ones, play music or read, or simply hold their hand as they breathe their last breath.
• Spiritual care volunteers in addition to companionship visits also engage in spiritual care for the patients. They may listen to a patient’s spiritual needs, pray and/or read religious texts with them upon patient/ caregiver request.
• Clerical volunteers will do family reach out such as satisfaction phone calls, assist with preparing mailings or cards, and assist medical records clerk with patient teaching materials. They can also volunteer remotely.
• Bereavement volunteers assist the Bereavement Coordinator with comforting grieving families whose loved ones have recently died. Duties may include assisting a support group facilitator at Bereavement groups and visiting families or preparing bereavement mailings.
• Veteran volunteers require a bit more training than regular volunteers and they provide companionship specifically to veteran patients.
• Special events volunteers assist with fundraisers, colleague meetings, donor events, holiday events, and any other large hospice events.
• Pet therapy volunteers bring their certified therapy pet to do patient visits. Volunteers are welcome to pursue more than one opportunity.
Yes! We schedule patient visits based on your timeline! For example, some volunteers do patient visits every Sunday morning while others do a different day each week due to a varying work/school schedule. Just let us know 48 hours ahead to schedule your visit.
We appreciate any time you can donate to our patients.
We request volunteers commit to at least 6 to 8 hours a month. A patient visit is usually two hours so that’s a minimum of 3 or 4 patient visits a month.
Volunteers can stay for us as long as they like but we ask they remain consistent in volunteering for at least four to six months.
However, other arrangements can be made if you have school/work commitments.
For example, some volunteers will do the bulk of their volunteering (30+ hrs.) only during the summer and winter breaks while others while others are active all year long.
Exceptions can be made if needed. Please contact the Volunteer Coordinator for more information.
Yes! Volunteers receive specialized training to learn valuable skills such as:
- Compassion and Empathy
- Active Listening
- Effective Communication
- Emotional Resilience
- Patience and Presence
- Problem-Solving
- Time Management
- Team Collaboration
- Cultural Sensitivity
- Supportive Counseling
- Conflict Resolution
- Basic Caregiving Skills
- Adaptability
- Crisis Management
- Bereavement Support
Yes! The Volunteer Coordinator/Director of Hospice would be more than happy to write one for you. However, we ask that the volunteer be active with us for at least six months so we could truly get to know you and write one on your behalf.
Volunteer Requirements
- Must be at least 18 years old.
- Be willing to commute to visit patients and commit to a minimum of 6 to 8 hours per month.
- Have a Driver’s License and reliable, insured means of transportation if they are driving to visit patients OR have a State ID/Permit if they are using public transportation.
Become A Hospice Volunteer & Join our Team!
Volunteers are an essential part of our hospice team. Whether offering a listening ear, helping with daily activities, or simply being present, hospice volunteers provide valuable comfort and compassion, creating a supportive and caring atmosphere for our patients in need.
The Volunteer Application Process
- Complete an application, interview and onboarding paperwork.
- Receive a TB screening and flu shot during flu season. We offer them for FREE to all our volunteers.
- Complete an Online background check and a Criminal Background Check.
- The state of Connecticut law requires all health care workers (and volunteers) to complete a fingerprint based criminal history check. Volunteers have not been fingerprinted before will have to go to the specified State Troopers Barracks to get fingerprinted.
- The state of Connecticut law requires all health care workers (and volunteers) to complete a fingerprint based criminal history check. Volunteers have not been fingerprinted before will have to go to the specified State Troopers Barracks to get fingerprinted.
- Complete hospice volunteer training & in-person orientation.
Please complete the inquiry form below and the Volunteer Coordinator will reach out to you to get the process started and answer any questions you may have.
Thank you for your interest in becoming a Trinity Health Of New England volunteer. Each of our volunteers help us realize the mission, vision, and values of Trinity Health Of New England. Volunteers make an impact each day by providing invaluable services to our patients. If you are interested in helping serve our patients, pursuing personal growth, continuing a lifetime of learning, or returning a kindness shown to you while you were a patient, Trinity Health Of New England has a unique variety of volunteer opportunities to match your interests.